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Cal Poly Humboldt Recital Series: Septet and Sextets

Fulkerson Recital Hall

The Cal Poly Humboldt Department of Dance, Music, and Theatre presents “The Cal Poly Humboldt Recital Series: Septet and Sextets.” Join us Sunday, April 6th at 7:30pm at the Fulkerson Recital Hall for an evening of music featuring Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20, Brahms’ Sextet in B-flat, Op. 18, and Suite from ‘La Revue de Cuisine’ by Bohuslav Martinů. Tickets are $20 General, $5 Child, and $5 for Humboldt students with ID and can be purchased at the door or online at tickets.humboldt.edu/dance-musiuc-and-theatre.

The title of the concert Septet and Sextets refers simply to the number of musicians performing a work. A septet is a group of seven people playing music or singing together while a sextet is six people. The program for the evening will begin with the only Septet being performed: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20. One of the most beloved works of chamber music for large ensembles, Beethoven’s Septet will feature Virginia Ryder, clarinet, Aaron Lopez, bassoon, Randall Masselink, french horn, Cindy Moyer, violin, Karen Davy, viola, Leighton Fong, cello, and Dario Olachea, bass. The department is very excited to be able to perform this work for the community. It can be difficult to assemble a Septet to perform this piece and the department is grateful and thrilled to have been awarded an RSCA grant to bring Randall Masselink and Leighton Fong to campus to perform. To underscore the rarity of getting to hear these large pieces of chamber music live; this will be the first time in over 30 years that any of these pieces are being performed in their entirety in Humboldt County. It is a performance you will not want to miss.

Kathy Henkel, L.A. Philharmonic, writes of the septet “In its original form, the Septet made its public debut, along with the First Symphony, at the Royal Imperial Court Theatre on April 2, 1800 at Beethoven’s first Viennese Akademie, a benefit concert for the composer himself. The piece was dedicated to Archduke Rudolph’s sister-in-law, Empress Maria Theresia, second wife of Franz II—an astute political move for a young composer eager to gain a solid foothold among the elite of the empire’s musical capital… Prefaced by a dignified Adagio, and starring violin and clarinet, the opening Allegro sparkles with Mozartean elegance and grace. Its colorful dialogues, thematic richness, skillful motivic development, and sonata-inspired form quickly establish this as music meant for the concert hall rather than mere background sound for an aristocratic garden party. The more restless side of Beethoven’s nature surfaces as the horn leads off the playful Scherzo. In the central Trio section, the cello shines, supported by bassoon and strings. The first truly solemn note emerges in the rather dark introduction to the last movement. Soon, however, this sullen march breaks into the high-spirited sonata-rondo finale theme to restore the carefree tone. Throughout the movement, Beethoven reminds the listener that the violin is the only true soprano in the entire ensemble. While exploiting the deep rich hues of the other instruments, he allows the violin to indulge in a few frilly turns – and even a cadenza – to conclude this classy divertimento…Over the years, Beethoven never quite forgave the Septet for its enormous popularity. Yet, its sole crimes were its youthful charm and immediate appeal. Perhaps Beethoven’s public wasn’t quite as tasteless as the composer imagined. Even today, the Septet in E-flat remains, arguably, the finest septet ever written.”

After intermission, the program continues with a performance of one of the greatest masterpieces in chamber music, Johannes Brahms Sextet in B-flat, Op. 18. The sextet is made up of Cindy Moyer, violin, Karen Davy, violin, Sherry Hanson, viola, Holly MacDonell, viola, Garrick Woods, cello, and Leighton Fong, cello “The appeal to Brahms of a string sextet was based, one supposes, on the possibilities presented by the deep sonority of its two cellos and two violas playing off the soprano brilliance of two violins. As we know from his orchestral music, Brahms reveled in the gutsy strength and soulful expressiveness of the lower instruments. So it’s no surprise that his first sextet begins with a cello singing tenderly the main theme”—Orrin Howard former Los Angeles Philharmonic Director of Publications and Archives

The program concludes with a performance of Suite from ‘La Revue de Cuisine’ Bohuslav Martinů. Cindy Moyer had this to say about the work, “The Martinu is just totally FUN! It’s jazzy and very enjoyable. The story: The Pot and Lid are married, but the Whisk seduces the Pot, while the Dishcloth makes moves toward the Lid, but is eventually challenged to a Duel by the Broom. Eventually all tensions are resolved and the ballet ends with the marriage of the Pot and Lid preserved and the Whisk and the Dishcloth coupled up as well. I’m not sure the story is brilliant, but the music certainly IS!” The piece is performed by Virginia Ryder, clarinet, Aaron Lopez, bassoon, Christopher Cox, trumpet, Cindy Moyer, violin, Leighton Fong, cello, and Yumi Watanabe, piano

DATES/TIMES

WHERE

• Fulkerson Recital Hall

PRICE

• $20
• $5 Cal Poly Students with ID
• $5 Children